The 2015 iteration of BMW's gold standard iDrive infotainment interface has some welcome, familiar elements, but it also feels a bit complacent.

BMW's iDrive has become something of a benchmark for center console infotainment interfaces, heavily borrowed from by BMW's main German competitors Audi and Mercedes-Benz, as well as by Hyundai, Infiniti, and Mazda. Because it's been around for 15 years, even in its latest iteration, iDrive is one of the most familiar technologies in the futuristic 2015 BMW i8 plug-in electric hybrid sports car. And unlike other aspects of this extraordinary super car, BMW didn't try to reinvent the wheel with iDrive in the i8. It feels intuitive and familiar, if perhaps a bit complacent.

Controls The majority of the 2015 BMW i8's infotainment and vehicle functions are accessed via a central round controller, located just below the gear shift, that works in conjunction with an 8.8-inch in-dash screen. The controller moves forward, backward, and side-to-side; turns in either direction; and can be pressed in to select a function.

Buttons just above the controller give you access to five main functions. Media and Radio are on one side, Telephone and Navigation are on the other, and a Menu button sits in-between. Right below the controller is a Back button, as well as an Option button that can be programmed to access a favorite function not covered by the other controls.

Maybe it's because we've gotten used to iDrive over the years, but we find the menu structure is very simple to navigate. Choose one of the four main functions via its respective physical button, and it's a breeze to scroll through a vertical list of items using the controller until it highlights the feature you want, then select it by pushing down. Related functions within a submenu can be accessed by moving the controller to the left and right or forward and back. It takes a little getting used to, but the controller has a certain kind of fluid accuracy that makes it a pleasure to operate. All infotainment should be this easy.

Features One of the issues we've had in the past with iDrive—and one that still exists—is that some functions are buried too deep under secondary menus. Take the heads-up display (HUD), for example. Whereas most automakers provide physical controls on the dashboard to adjust, say, the brightness and height of the HUD, with iDrive you must first go into the Settings menu.

The controller has a touchpad on top with a "speller" feature that allows you to trace characters with your finger to input details like a navigation destination or Web address. But we found that the characters had to be traced very precisely and required too much attention away from the road to make sure they were entered correctly. We resorted to using the time-consuming letter-by-letter input method instead, although the voice recognition system can also be used for entering destinations and works just fine. An LCD instrument panel conveys information clearly and without too much clutter, while the heads-up display helps keep the driver's eyes focused ahead.

Like all BMWs, the i8 takes a hybrid approach to connectivity. Some features are available via the car's embedded SIM card, and some are delivered through the BMW Apps platform and a connected smartphone. In addition to having to pay a subscription for the SIM-based connected services once the initial free trials end, we also observed the onboard 3G connectivity was slower than with a connected 4G smartphone.

Conclusions While BMW's iDrive continues to improve with each new iteration, issues such as menu structure haven't been completely ironed out. Still, it's mostly a breeze to operate, and its layout feels immediately familiar, even if you've never used it before. It would be nice to see more of a high-tech push for the system in the future, like in our Editors' Choice, Volvo Sensus Connect, which has a large, tablet-like screen that allows both driver and passenger to adjust settings simultaneously. But iDrive is staying the course, and that's fine for now.

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About the Author

Doug Newcomb is a recognized expert on the subject of car technology within the auto industry and among the automotive and general media, and a frequent speaker at automotive and consumer electronics industry events. Doug began his career in 1988 at the car stereo trade publication Mobile Electronics, before serving as editor of the leading consume... See Full Bio

BMW iDrive (2015)

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